Canutillo Independent School District joined Tornillo in offering a smartphone app that allows students to anonymously alert administrators, teachers or coaches about bullying incidents.

CISD officials announced on Friday the launch of the smartphone app and redesign of the districts's website, which also offers students the option of anonymously report bullying, as part of the districts ongoing anti-bullying efforts.

Officials are also hoping the app will enhance communication between parents and school officials and allow parents to better track their children's performances in school.

"This is all about communication," Superintendent Pedro Galaviz said. "This is all about connecting in today's world. Everyone has a cell, everyone has some form of electronic media like email. The anonymously alert system keeps the students safe and secure. Our ParentLink keeps our parents informed about how their children are doing. So this app is a great way to increase the communication between parents and the school."

The app, designed in partnership with school communication application designer ParentLink, has a "tip line" feature where students can pick a school and type a message on the bullying incident that will go directly to school and district officials. The free app is available at both Apple's App Store and Google Play.

Pedro Galaviz, right, superintendent for the Canutillo school district shows the district's new smart phone app to Cynthia Vasquez, a student at Canutillo High School during its unveiling at district headquarters Friday. (Rudy Gutierrez—El Paso Times)

"For years, we have had our 'No place for hate' initiative, an anti-bullying program, and this (anonymous alert system) is another component of that," district spokesman Gustavo Reveles said. "This makes it easier for students to report bullying and cyber-bullying even if it happens away from school. This lets us know what is happening and allows us to react in a much more significant manner."

Reveles said there were 40 reports of bullying — not all substantiated — in the 2013-2014 school year.

The Tornillo Independent School Distinct in offering students and parents an app to report bullying. The app is Anonymous Alerts and people can report bullying on the district's website and on a hotline.

While both Ysleta and El Paso independent school districts have mobile apps, neither offer students an option of reporting bullying through the mobile apps. While Soccorro Independent School District does not have an app, it offers similar services on their "Parent Portal" website. El Paso, Ysleta, Clint, San Elizario and Soccorro have hotlines for students to report bullying.

The Canutillo app also gives parents access on their smart phones to student's grade, attendance records, emergency alerts, school and district news, school menus, bus routes and instant communication with superintendent and other administrators.

For security concerns, parents wishing to use the app to obtain their children's grades, attendance records and other personal information will have to go to the schools to get a username and password, Reveles said.

The redesign of the website, canutillo-isd.org, will feature easier access to each school, students information, budget figures and district policies.

Cynthia Vasquez, sophomore at Canutillo High School, believes the app will be beneficial to students and parents.

"This is a very good app because it gets parents more involved and gives parents a lot more information about the students in a way faster way than it currently is," Vasquez said. "This is a really good idea for both parents and students, who now have an anonymous way to report bullying. I am very excited about it."

Senior Mark Meraz is excited about the anonymous reporting system but doubts many students will use it.

"I like that we can take a more active role in fighting bullying," Meraz said. "So it is nice that they have the option to anonymously report bullying. Although honestly, I don't know if students will actually use it. I don't think it will have a big impact, but I hope it will get more students to report bullying."